Single axle tractor and lowboy

[thirdcoaster]

I own a backhoe and dozer, each weighing about 19,000 lbs. I have contemplated buying a single axle truck tractor to haul them with. I also haul building materials at times, and the loads often exceed 10,000 lbs. I'd like to have a 20' belly dump, too.

I own a 25' gooseneck with tandem 16K axles, 17.5" tires, and GVWR of 30,000 lbs (limited by the gooseneck coupler). Empty, it weighs 7,300 lbs. I currently pull it with a F-450, and the load is scary at times. I also pull a cattle trailer, but the weights are lower.

I've looked at several tractors with 12k front and 20k rear that weigh somewhere around 12-13,000. My question is how much does a single axle truck tractor like this help me with safety? I would still be dealing with electric brakes on the trailer (which work pretty well, but not great).

What if I decided to later upgrade my trailer to something like this hydraulic-tail lowboy with air brakes? How would a single-axle handle it?:

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2050201

Should I forget single axle trucks and go tandem, even though it's way overkill right now?

If I bought a truck, I could pick up a little hot-shot transport for a local rental company. This would help pay for the truck, the increased insurance premium, and fees. I have a Class A license and a USDOT #, and would have to upgrade to a CDL and get a TXDOT #, but that's not a deal-breaker.

I'm trying to get my head around all this. :Banghead

 

[tonka]

You would need a CDL to do any for hire work(ie. rental co), and you also would need it for the air brakes the single axle truck has...

 

[joe03dodge]

i have been running a single axle truck for two years now. i haul a 650j and a 420e tlb. i tried hauling with a 1 ton and goose neck that was scary. the air brakes are way better than any electric. its nice to know you can stop and got plent of weight on the truck. with your heavy goose neck it should work good till you get a bigger trailer. just get a truck with air ride it makes all the diffrence in thies trucks. Also get one with good power mine is a 12.7 detroit set at 260 horse with 10 spd.

 

[thirdcoaster]

I talked to the rental company again today. It seems that I will have to buy a longer trailer or I will be somewhat limited on the pieces of equipment that I can move for them. He recommends a trailer with at least a 30' deck. Their most common manlifts (40', 60', and 80' booms) would overhang off of my gooseneck (25') by a few feet. None of the equipment I would be moving would exceed 25,000#, so that is good.

I spoke to a hydraulic-tail trailer manufacturer today, and the salesman thought their trailers would probably be too front-heavy for a single-axle tractor. He suggested a 40'+ lightweight drop-deck with 17.5 rubber and ramps. I kinda like the idea. I found a used one with a spread tandem, and the owner is going to check on weights tomorrow.

Anybody have any idea about the toungue/pin weight of these type trailers (either hydra-tail or drop deck)? My only real concern at this point is overloading the single rear axle of the truck.

 

[mitch504]

I have had a single axle lowboy truck for over 10 yrs. and I love it. It is a CH Mack 315hp, 10 speed, and a 25k Mack rear on springs. It is the same axle as the rear on a 50k tandem. The hub barely fits through the center of a 24.5" budd wheel. I have used it extensively for hauling the "last mile". I also have other trucks a CH w/ 400hp, 9spd, and 38k tandems: and another CH, 427hp,18 spd, and 44k rears on camelback. I have used the single screw to haul machines as large as a 330 a short distance on my 50-ton Rogers. I used to do this a lot putting demolition equip. between the hotels on the strip in Myrtle beach SC. The machines would come in behind tractors that couldn't even make the turn onto Ocean Blvd. much less back off between the hotels and we would meet up and swap trailers or frequently put the machine on mine so I could side unload or drive off the back. To get back on topic, I move machinery up to 45000 lbs. long distances (upto 100 miles) with the little one all the time and have no problems as long as it loaded right and the brakes are adjusted. I once actually hauled a trailer over 100,000 lbs a 1/2 mile by accident. I pull 4 different trailers from 9 to 50 ton capacity with it.
These pictures show it pulling my 28000 lb grader on a friend's single axle lowboy with my Rogers in the foreground and a 44700 lb trackhoe in the background that I pull with it all the time. In a thread called "trailer mfg ID" there is a good picture of the tail of it hooked to my 1953 fruehauf lowboy, but it won't let me post the same picture in two threads.


I hope you'll pick the info you want from the 10,000 extra words you didn't want.:beatsme

 

[joe03dodge]

One thing i learned new when i went to renew my truck plates was if you gross over 55k or 56k (cant remember) you have to file heavy truck tax with the irs. i plated mine for only 48K because i gross out at 46 with my jd 650j. just some thing to think about.

 

[Komatsu 150]

With a semi the Federal Use Tax comes into play at a much lower gross weight than it does for a straight truck. I haven't run a semi for a while but it was pretty low.

 

[mitch504]

It is 55,000 lbs whether it is a tractor or straight truck. That is a tiny semi. If you will use the truck 5000 miles or less in year the tax is suspended. If you have any questions go to www.irs.gov and search for form 2290 instructions.

 

[thirdcoaster]

One thing i learned new when i went to renew my truck plates was if you gross over 55k or 56k (cant remember) you have to file heavy truck tax with the irs. i plated mine for only 48K because i gross out at 46 with my jd 650j. just some thing to think about.

That's one more reason not to own a truck. 55,000# is the weight that triggers the tax - I Googled it.

I spoke with a friend that is a fleet manager today, and he filled my mind with stories of being poked and prodded by the DOT on a regular basis. His fleet (and others) has been inundated with audits, roadside inspections, scale house inspections, and this week..... tickets for no windshield washer fluid!

It's a shame, but I'm inclined to continue to "fly under the radar" with my F450 even though it's not as safe as upgrading to a real truck tractor. It seems that every "real truck" is a target. I've never even caught a glance by DOT (knocks on wood) in the F450.

I didn't mean to turn this into a DOT rant, but I'm a little frustrated by what I'm finding out. I did talk to the local Mack dealer & the truck and trailer I'm interested in would work for the hauling I've described. Now, I have to decide if it's worth it.:beatsme

 

[KW318]

If you're gonna run low boy - get a tandem and do it right, with a margin of safety - not using every ounce of capacity. It could also lead to more opportunity for hauling.

If you think that flying under the DOT radar is the road to success, have a catastrophic accident and you may find yourself ruined - to say nothing of the liability and the possibility of hurting innocent folks.

I've see more than a few weekend warriors (not implying that you are one) picking up a load of "all you could fit" compost on a Saturday morning in a half ton- and trying to get back on to the state road with the front end almost in the air - way overloaded, sure they were only going a 'few' miles, not funny when my wife and kids use the same roads.

My advice is to take your time and when you're ready - do it the right way.

BTW - Dad always said paying taxes meant you were making money!

Thanks

 

[245dlc]

If you're gonna run low boy - get a tandem and do it right, with a margin of safety - not using every ounce of capacity. It could also lead to more opportunity for hauling.

If you think that flying under the DOT radar is the road to success, have a catastrophic accident and you may find yourself ruined - to say nothing of the liability and the possibility of hurting innocent folks.

I've see more than a few weekend warriors (not implying that you are one) picking up a load of "all you could fit" compost on a Saturday morning in a half ton- and trying to get back on to the state road with the front end almost in the air - way overloaded, sure they were only going a 'few' miles, not funny when my wife and kids use the same roads.

My advice is to take your time and when you're ready - do it the right way.

BTW - Dad always said paying taxes meant you were making money!

Thanks

Yeah I have to agree tandem axle tractor is the best way to go, plus you can upgrade to a more heavy duty lowbed in the future and if your getting into gravel hauling you have that much more capacity. Plus the extra drive axle can help you out in soft ground if you have four way lock up on it. Kinda like four-wheel drive on a pick-up truck. I don't know about in the State's but here DOT only really bugs you if your doing something wrong. Last summer I worked for one company hauling gravel that was always pushing they're guys to get that "little" bit more all the time so I got harassed a couple of times because other guys would push they're luck and get ticketed for it too. Then in the winter I worked for a different outfit that had a "good" rep. and never had any trouble with the DOT. So if your in compliance you shouldn't have any problems if you push your luck it's only a matter of time.

 

[thirdcoaster]

If you're gonna run low boy - get a tandem and do it right, with a margin of safety - not using every ounce of capacity. It could also lead to more opportunity for hauling.

If you think that flying under the DOT radar is the road to success, have a catastrophic accident and you may find yourself ruined - to say nothing of the liability and the possibility of hurting innocent folks.

I've see more than a few weekend warriors (not implying that you are one) picking up a load of "all you could fit" compost on a Saturday morning in a half ton- and trying to get back on to the state road with the front end almost in the air - way overloaded, sure they were only going a 'few' miles, not funny when my wife and kids use the same roads.

My advice is to take your time and when you're ready - do it the right way.

BTW - Dad always said paying taxes meant you were making money!

Thanks

Thanks for the reminder of why I started this process in the first place:notworthy.

I see the "weekend warrior" guys too and try really hard not to be one. I'm always careful about securing any load, maintaining my equipment, and not overloading. The lack of safety margin IS what bothers me.

To further derail this thread......Your dad was right about taxes, it just seems the theory that "everyone pays their fair share" has been thrown out the window along with common sense.

 

[KW318]

I agree that common sense is not as common as it should be.

I also appreciate your response to my post, and that it was received in the spirit that I intended it.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Komatsu 150]

It is 55,000 lbs whether it is a tractor or straight truck. That is a tiny semi. If you will use the truck 5000 miles or less in year the tax is suspended. If you have any questions go to www.irs.gov and search for form 2290 instructions.

I'm out of touch. I remember much lower than that.

 

[thirdcoaster]

Weights update

I needed my dozer at the ranch, so on the way, I stopped by the gin and used their scales to find out exactly what my rig weighs. Here's the rundown:

F450, 14,500 gvwr, 6,000 front gawr, 9,500 rear gawr

25' gooseneck, registered for 26,000, gvwr 30,000, gawr 32,000 (the gvwr is reduced because of the gooseneck coupler's rating of 30k)

New Holland D75LT dozer cab/air (loaded at absolute rear of trailer deck)

Half tanks of fuel in truck and dozer, minimal tools and "junk".

Actual weights: front axle 5460, rear axle 6840, trailer tandem 24,340

Gross weight: 36,640

Believe it or not, that is perfectly legal. I don't like driving it though...it's safety is questionable. If that had been the backhoe instead of the dozer, I think the steer axle would be overweight, because even though it weighs about the same as the dozer, the backhoe has to be loaded all the way forward on the trailer to fit.

Still looking at trucks.

 

[mr T]

Another thing to think about If you go more than 100 miles from home you have to run a log book also medical card plus be in a drug testing program

 

[CM1995]

Welcome to the Forums mr T!:drinkup

 

[mr T]

Thanx for welcome CM since its my bday ill have a beer or two Cheers!!

 

[joe03dodge]

Keep in mind with your f450 you need all the same dot numbers and insurance as a big truck,to be legal. :drinkup

 

[2stickbill]

Keep in mind with your f450 you need all the same dot numbers and insurance as a big truck,to be legal. :drinkup

Hey joe I bet he feels much better now.